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7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

Hello ladies,
I will try my best to briefly explain how we got this situation.
When DS 3.5 month old, we had our first nursing strike. He was extremely distracted, so I couldn't even nurse him in dark room. He was so wiggly to see our even in dark. I had tried everything for one week, and started nursing him when he was almost asleep. Most of the time, i was able to latched him on as soon as he woke up , since he was still sleepy. Although there wasn't much success, I kept also offering him in his awake time.
Over the time, I couldn't have a chance to nurse right after waking bit it was still ok, since he was napping regularly and often. Moreover, I nurse him to sleep since day one.
But now, he naps twice a day with 3 hours active time. So he doesn't nurse sometimes 5 ~5.5 hours. He nurses only 15-18 mins combined. I also still try to nurse when he is awake and get pretty bad bites most of the time. I get 5-6 wet diapers, and poops every day. Some nights are nightmare, he wakes up every 2-3 hours and after 4.30 every hour. Some nights only 2 wakes. He has solids three times a day.
I know unfortunately he has associated nursing with sleep, but in 5 hours, how comes he doesn't get hungry.
I am worried not only he gets enough nutrition but also he will wean early. What is going to happen when he drops another nap? I want to nurse him at least one year although my preference is about 2-2.5 years.
Please help me, I can't think of anything. I don't know what I should do.
Thanks for reading.

Re: 7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

Hi kismee, have you tried everything in the kellymom article Help, my baby won't nurse'? http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/back-to-breast/ When you say you tried everything for one week, have you since then stopped trying "everything?" It can be very smart to back off and just let things be for a while, but no harm in trying everything again, periodically.

As far as you know, is baby gaining normally? Output sounds normal. As long as baby is gaining normally he is probably fine nutritionally.

It sounds as if your baby will pretty much only nurse at night and that means, baby is going to nurse a lot at night. Given your breastfeeding goals, I do not know what else you can do except keep trying to gently encourage nursing when awake and continue to nurse overnight and at nap time. Baby may still outgrow this.

IN my experience, if given the chance, a baby will continue to nap twice a day well into todderhood esp if baby is up frequently at night. Of course every baby is different but my 17 month old still naps twice a day, and she is a pretty good night sleeper. On days after a rough night, she may even nap three times.

Also-you are feeding baby solids 3 times a day. How much does baby actually intake? A 7 month old is typically still just experimenting with food. If baby is eating a few ounces each time baby eats, what may be happening is the strike that led to nursing at night has now led to baby filling up on solids during the day which means baby is even less interested in nursing. A 7 month old can only hold so much. I am not saying stop solids, I am just wondering how much he is eating. it’s something to think about.

I trick I use when I want to make sure my daughter is nursing enough is I do not give her water with her solid meals and nurse after, when she is thirsty.

Re: 7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

Hi Meg, thanks a lot for your detailed message!!
At nights feeding, I think you are right that he gets a lot. Because around 3.30am which is usually his second wakes, I take him to bed with me. He nurses almost every hour until 7.30 am. I am pretty sure some are only comfort nursing due smell of milk and mommy but I generally hear he swallows good amount of milk at least every other session.
I was trying occasionally Kellymom's suggestions in the beginning but gave up after awhile. However, the other day, I wanted to take a bath with DS, he freaked out, scared a lot I don't know why and wanted to get out of bathtub immediately. Yesterday morning, I nursed him kinda skin to skin (we nurse side lying) and then @5.30pm all of the sudden he latched on for a couple mins out of nowhere when we were playing on the floor. I always wear tank top at home in order to access easily. And this afternoon, again he seemed to interested in latching on, voila, I got another 5 mins. Most probably, he got only fore milk but I want to it a success. But still not sure how I tricked him.
As far as solids, I was told by WIC to feed solid three times. It always seems a lot to me but pedi said it is fine too. At breakfast he has an egg yolk with EBM, a full teaspoon of oatmeal added some cheese mixed with EBM. Afternoon half jar of baby fruit no oatmeal ( probably about 2 ounces), dinner 2-3 tablespoon of soup whatever we have for us or half jar of baby food no oatmeal (sometimes close to a full jar).
Is it too much? But he eats happily.
PS: Sorry for explanations with limited and repeated vocabulary due to not being a native english speaker.

Re: 7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

That's awesome that he latched! Keep up trying!

Foremilk/hind milk. It's all the same milk. There's no switching point where it suddenly goes from one to the other, just a gradual increase in creaminess. Don't worry about it. It was a nursing session and that's great!

I heard the same advice from my health department nurse. Solids must be three times a day! I ignored it. We did more baby led approach to solids. Ds got a little of whatever I ate through out the day if he was interested. You don't seem to be feeding a huge amount but i don't think it's necessary to focus too much on solids this young. It should be more about tastes and textures than actual input. You have room to experiment. Cut down a little for a few days and see if it helps his interest in nursing.

Ps. I never would have guessed you weren't a native English speaker. I assumed any typos were auto correct fails Orr you were just in a hurry to get back to a fussy baby like i usually am I've seen much worse grammar from native speakers!

Re: 7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

I agree with pp. A 5 minute-even a one minute nursing session when baby is awake is great progress. Don't worry at all about the length. 7 month olds often nurse quickly esp. when they are busy.

Does your WIC office offer lactation consulting? Or at least a breastfeeding peer counseler or breastfeeding support group? I am not going to say your baby eats too much. Of course every baby is different and as long as you offer to nurse b4 solids (or after or even during as I suggested above) and are not 'pushing' the food on baby (if he pretty much self feeds) it is fine. But the idea a healthy and normal 7 month old who is breastfeeding NEEDS to eat three solid meals a day is very questionable imo.

Re: 7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

Thanks for encouragement ladies!
It is definitely hit or miss with my little man. Today afternoon, I wanted to give a try, after two mins, I got a bad bite well, I am positive. As you ladies said, even 1 min is something after months.
I spoon feed him, rarely try baby lead feeding since I am little scared of it.
There is a LC at our pediatrician office. WIC office is also offers LC who is our local La Leche League leader at the same time. Such a sweet lady who helped me a lot when DS was in the nicu. Lady with the pediatrician didn't help much months ago. She said I would need to wean him around 12 months, since he doesn't nurse awake!!! But didn't show a way to change the situation. Therefore, I haven't call her for help. LLL leader wasn't able to help much because DS wasn't turning his head to the breast. Maybe I should call her again.
I also skipped middle fruit feeding today. He was ok, didn't seem hungry. But at dinner he was really impatient for the following spoon. I will cut down to two solids for this week and hope for some positive change.

Re: 7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

The WIC office LC may help clarify the 3 X a day meal thing, if nothing else. In any case, you deserve all the suppiort you can get. My local WIC office even gives moms little 'presents' when they get to 3 months, 6 months, a year of nursing.

Also, if you like, I think you can (and may already be doing this) follow baby's cues while spoon feeding. I did baby led solids with my daughter (third child) but if she was getting yogurt or mashed avocado or something like that I used a spoon (or my finger, which actually worked better most of the time.) I would show her the food and let her grab my hand and bring it to her mouth, let her take as much food off the spoon or finger as she liked, and waited while she figured out how to 'chew' and swallow, and she would let me know she wanted more by leaning forward and grabbing my hand again. I think where spoon feeding sometimes may lead to trouble is when the spoon is used to repeatedly pop a spoonful of puree into baby's mouth, leaving baby no choice but to swallow, or spit it out if they just cannot hold anymore (or don't like it.)

Re: 7.5 month old ONLY nurse before sleep

Originally Posted by @llli*lllmeg

The WIC office LC may help clarify the 3 X a day meal thing, if nothing else. In any case, you deserve all the suppiort you can get. My local WIC office even gives moms little 'presents' when they get to 3 months, 6 months, a year of nursing.

Also, if you like, I think you can (and may already be doing this) follow baby's cues while spoon feeding. I did baby led solids with my daughter (third child) but if she was getting yogurt or mashed avocado or something like that I used a spoon (or my finger, which actually worked better most of the time.) I would show her the food and let her grab my hand and bring it to her mouth, let her take as much food off the spoon or finger as she liked, and waited while she figured out how to 'chew' and swallow, and she would let me know she wanted more by leaning forward and grabbing my hand again. I think where spoon feeding sometimes may lead to trouble is when the spoon is used to repeatedly pop a spoonful of puree into baby's mouth, leaving baby no choice but to swallow, or spit it out if they just cannot hold anymore (or don't like it.)

I will give a call her to find out what to do.
It is a very nice approach to feeding. I will exactly try it. I completely agree with the trouble of spoon. Especially my son LOVES baby food, I can't stop myself but give him more. He opens his little mouth so eagerly and makes those funny noise by gulping everything down.